EVALUATION OF FARMERS’ SEED HANDLING PRACTICES AND EFFECTS OF SEED SOURCE AND STORAGE CONDITION ON QUALITY PARAMETERS OF SOYBEAN (Glycine max (L) SEED IN EAST WOLLEGA, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Soybean [Glycine max (L) Merrill] is one of the important legume crops produced in eastern wollega Ethiopia. This study was conducted to evaluate effects of farmers’ seed management, source and period of storage on seed quality parameters of two soybean. The respondent farm households mentioned that the way the handle their soybean seed is the major factor that causes the seed quality deterioration due to lack of appropriate storage materials and skill on the handling practices of the product. The treatments were two varieties x three seed source x three storage duration arranged in factorial combinations. Completely randomized design with four replications in laboratory and randomized complete block design with three replications on field were used to evaluate treatments during 2022/2023 cropping season. The results revealed that seed quality parameters were significantly influenced by one or more main factors Moisture content, abnormal seedling, shoot length, root length and vigor index two was significantly influenced by interactions of variety x seed source x storage period. Hundred seed weight was significantly influenced by interaction of variety x seed source. Germination percentage of seeds was significantly influenced by interaction of seed source x storage period, and variety x seed source whereas speed of germination was significantly influenced by interaction of variety x storage duration and seed source x storage period. Interactions of variety x seed source had significant effect on days to physiological maturity and number of pods per plant whereas; interaction of variety and storage period had significant influence on seed yield. The growing of Didhesa variety from seed source of Haro sabu stored for six month produced higher seed yield of 1.138 ton/ha while growing of korme variety from seed source of farm save stored for one year produced significantly lower seed yield (0.63 ton/ha).The results from the two experiments showed that the influence of variety, storage duration, seed source and interaction of the two and/or three factors on seeds parameters had significant effect on seed yield, quality and yield related traits. Thus it is suggested to consider varieties; seed source and seed storage duration to produce high yield and quality seeds to improve the productivity of soybean.